If Fate Were to Allow it
by FlameofSwords
Summary: Yuugi wants to find his partner. Yami Marik wants another chance at life. Yami Bakura sees this as an opportunity to get rid of the Pharaoh. And they're all involved in the quest to find the Pharaoh who disappeared right after Battle City.


**Well, let's just see were this takes us, shall we? Because this is more character driven than anything.**

* * *

The worse things that ever happened to Yuugi was always a simple thing he could just rely on his partner to help him with. At least, that's what it has always been.

For Yuugi Mutou, he never had a case of something unsolvable stopping him. It was always resolved by game or talking to the person.

And right now, he wished that was the case. Being able to duel his partner to snap it out of him, or at least stop him from leaving, _that_ would've been something he would've jumped at the chance for.

But that couldn't happen and it probably never would. The chance never presented itself to Yuugi and it was just unfair. Maybe not to the world - they probably would be relieved when the King of Games lost his title and win-streak - but to him and his friends? It was just as unfair as it could get.

And that was exactly what Yuugi was thinking as he stared at the Millennium Puzzle, it's original charm lost and replaced with a new one. Another one that was just a bit harder to smile at.

The original was reminiscent of all the friends he made. Becoming closer to Anzu, making friends with Jounouchi and Honda as opposed relenting them, making friends with Bakura, and finally being able to recognize and become friends with the spirit inside of him. Along with other things that made him feel special. Made him know that his friends were always on his side and he could overcome any of that.

Now, it holds a similar meaning - still with the memories of all those wonderful times - but the "shine" was lost. And that shine was the fact that it was always his partner helping him, backing him up through all that, _and _was still there for him.

The new one just allowed him to know that his partner was _gone_. And while Yuugi knew his partner was going disappear once his mission was over, he didn't expect it to be now. Now felt too early to leave. After all, what did he accomplish? Things beneficial to Yuugi, but not to him. There was no way his mission could accomplished just like that. There were still things to know about his past. Ones they were supposed to uncover soon.

And they couldn't be answered. Or found out about, or solved, because he was gone and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Which was why on most days when Yuugi wasn't expected to go to school or help out anywhere, he slept. Hopefully dreaming about his partner, but they almost never obeyed what he wanted.

-0-0-0-

And today was one of those days were the dream didn't involve predicting what would happen next if his partner had stayed as opposed to disappear.

Actually, it wasn't even a nightmare, from what Yuugi could see. He was in his mind room, which was filled with toys and games of every kind. There was no door out of it, but it made sense - his partner was gone, and the only reason why that door was there was so that they could eventually meet up and work together.

Perhaps he would run into some old memories in here. And that didn't add to this potentially being a nightmare - he was well past the crying stage. Well past it.

"The Nameless Pharaoh is still alive in this world."

Shadi? Yuugi turned around, only to realize that Shadi was in front of him the whole time. How he didn't figure that out was something he probably would never know, but that wasn't important. Not when his partner was mentioned.

"He's still...in this world?" Yuugi asked. He knew he couldn't be alive-alive - he was dead already. But still, to be in here…

Shadi's face remained void of emotion - no small chuckle coming at the response nor a smile for how happy the boy looked. "He is lost in the false sins of his mind. One must find him to restore him back to normal. However, a normal person cannot achieve the position to do so."

"Do I count as a normal person?" He didn't know what normal meant in Shadi's book. It could mean anything from a simple boy like him to some Egyptian slave or something of the sort.

However, Shadi was gone. There was no goodbye, no wave, and not even an answer. Just him disappearing. And it didn't help him solve anything.

-0-0-0-

_The boy wanted to help. _It only made this decision worth it. Though, while it was a bit unusual for Shadi to pair him up with someone incompatible, there no other way for this to work out. The Nameless Pharaoh needed to be saved, his host wanted nothing more but to save him, and _he _wanted a second chance at life. One that would be decided by how far down "The Scales of Truth" fall down.

He was waiting in the deepest part of the Underworld, the grin he bore for the arrival of Shadi. The arrival of his second chance.

Shadi placed the scales on the table that materialized at his will. The grin of the person in front of him grew larger.

"Now let's hurry up and get this over with. I can't _wait _to crush the Pharaoh once more." The grin grew wicked, almost proving that the man bore no chance of redemption. However, a subject matter like that was left up to the gods to decide, not Shadi.

He placed the Feather of Ma'at onto the right side of the plate, leaving the other one for the heart of the man.

"I already know how this works, so just get on with it."

"A child is near death during the world destruction of the world. There is a single hope in him surviving, which results from you stopping this catastrophe. Do you stop the catastrophe or allow it to continue?"

The question was tailored to the mind room of the person, as was every. And there was no denying the hatred and corruption within this person's mind. It was odd to grant him a second chance, as Shadi realized before he even left Yuugi's mind room, but it was an order. And anything to get the Nameless Pharaoh back to the afterlife was okay in his book.

There was a laugh before the answer. "Of course not. Why would I stop the catastrophe?"

He was not lying, but the dish with the man's heart went down as the the one with the feather went up. But it was not that drastic of a change as a liar's. Was this supposed to mean something?

"The host of your body is physically strained. His condition will only get better if you leave control of him and stop committing crimes. Do you let go of your hold on him or continue until he dies?"

The question took longer to answer, but either way, Shadi knew there was going to be an answer. That was the only way for his redemption to be certified.

"I'll let go of my hold."

The scale remained the same.

"Now, the last question." Shadi didn't need to explain what would happen to the person if the dish with the heart touched the table. He knew well enough. Both of them, actually. And both of them knew what the next question will be.

"Did you plan on killing the Nameless Pharaoh during the duel were the host of both of you were sacrificed?"

There was a laugh that then mutated to fit of it. It took about a minute for it to finish, finally ending with his answer. "Of course I did. What else could that duel have accomplished? Pleasing him with the fact he was able to bet his _precious _host on a duel? Proving he was indeed, 'King of Games'? Don't give me that nonsense."

Either way, mocking Shadi's question or not, the judgement of Ma'at was passed.

The scales, not at all equal but neither touching the ground, caused Shadi to question the judgement of Ma'at. Had Osiris not wanted the man to stay, or did he have enough potential to be worth a second chance as Ma'at saw? Either way, it was not Shadi's job to question the judgement of the gods. It was his job to carry it out.

"Your fate has been decided," Shadi said, which cut through the nonsensible rambling of the man in front of him. "You are worthy of redemption."

The grin grew even more. "It seems my revenge is drawing closer."

Shadi simply picked up the scale, which resulted in the table disappearing as fast as it materialized.

The scale already had the part of the soul he needed for this to work, which Shadi carefully picked up and wrapped so nothing would interfere with it and change the content of the soul.

Perhaps Shadi should try playing Devil's Associate some time. He was already doing the threat to the Nameless Pharaoh a favor. And he was already making the host suffer yet another rough time.

-0-0-0-

It took forever for Yuugi to realize what normal human meant in terms of Shadi, and it was something he was currently. A person with a single soul room.

Though, it didn't discourage him. There was only one way he could save his partner, and this was it. And while he only had one soul room, Yuugi knew that Bakura was a good enough friend to help him, and while the other Bakura seemed a little untrustworthy, he was at least trying to help them. And maybe this was one of the things he would help him with.

It only took about half an hour to arrive at the apartment building Bakura was living in. It wasn't that hard to locate what number or its location - he had visited his apartment once before, and the system wasn't that hard.

The door creaked open a few seconds after Yuugi rang the doorbell. Out came a somewhat sleep deprived Bakura, yawning before giving him a slight smile.

"Come in."

"Thanks."

Yuugi sat himself down at the one table that didn't have any table top RPG on it. And while there was a script for what appears to be another scenario, it didn't really bother Yuugi that much. He also made mental note to come here again and ask Bakura if he could play another game once the other one left. There was no way he was turning into a game piece again.

"What's the matter?" Bakura asked, his eyes full of both care and sleep. It was evident that he was at least trying. Even though it was clear he really needed sleep.

"The other me is missing, and I really need your help."

There was a glint in Bakura's eye.

"But what can I do? That seems like something more suited for you."

"I can't do it now," Yuugi said, remembering what Shadi told him in that dream. "I'm just a normal human without him, and normal humans can't do this."

"So basically, all I need to do is find the other you for you?"

Yuugi nodded.

"Though, you don't have to do it now," he quickly added, noting how tired Bakura was. "Besides, I don't have much information on anything yet."

"Oh? But I much rather do it now for my friend. After all, that was a precious person you lost."

Could he even argue with that? Good cause, but tired and could probably faint…

"Just don't overwork yourself."

Yuugi showed himself out just as Bakura grinned.


End file.
